Tomato-Basil Sauce for Pasta

This tomato-basil sauce starts with fresh ripe tomatoes instead of canned, and you can taste the difference. Red bell peppers and sliced mushrooms cook down into the sauce, adding sweetness and body that a plain marinara just can’t match.

Onion and garlic get softened in olive oil first (soft, not browned, which keeps the sauce bright rather than caramelized), then the chopped tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, basil, and oregano all go in together. Twenty minutes of uncovered simmering reduces the liquid and concentrates the flavors. Tomato paste stirred in at the end deepens the color and adds extra richness without making the sauce taste like it came from a can.

You get to choose the texture. Leave it chunky with visible pieces of pepper and mushroom, or blend part (or all) of it smooth for a more polished sauce. Partially blending gives you the best of both worlds: a thick, smooth base with chunks throughout.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. Peak-season summer tomatoes make this sauce sing. Out of season, canned San Marzano tomatoes are a better choice than pale, mealy fresh ones.
• Cook the sauce uncovered. The lid traps steam and prevents the sauce from thickening properly.
• Let the sauce cool slightly before blending if you want it smooth. Hot liquid in a blender can pop the lid and splatter.

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for gentle heat.
• Stir in a splash of red wine during the simmer for deeper, more complex flavor.
• Toss in pitted Kalamata olives and capers in the last 5 minutes for a puttanesca-style twist.